Crimea should become main topic of Zelensky-Putin meeting – Ukrainian presidential spokesman

KYIV. Sept 13 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to hold a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but the issue of "Crimea’s occupation" must be addressed at this meeting, Ukrainian presidential press secretary Serhiy Nykyforov said.

"Indeed, there is the Ukrainian president’s will to meet personally with the Russian president anytime and anywhere within a neutral territory. Either on the disengagement line, or in any other place in neutral territory, but not in Russia and not in Ukraine," Nykyforov said on the Dom television channel.

He believes that Crimea should be the main topic of talks at the summit.

"It is necessary that the issue of Russia’s occupation of a part of the territory of Ukraine be addressed at this meeting. Therefore, the talks and contacts regarding this meeting are being really maintained at some level, but it is imperative to ensure that this most important issue is put on the agenda that Russia certainly does not want to," Zelensky’s spokesman said.

He said that Russia opposes such a meeting and, in his opinion, does not intend to put the issue of Crimea on the agenda of this meeting.

"Why then meet? What to discuss at a meeting? What topic is now more important in relations between Russia and Ukraine than Russia’s occupation of certain territories of Ukraine?" Nykyforov said.